Art of manufacturing turned shoes.



1.l HELMING. I

ART 0F MANUFACTURINGI TURIIIVEDSHOES. APPLICATION FILI'TD OCT- 15, 1915.

'Patented Mar. 28,1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

JOI-IN HELMING, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ART OF MANUFACTURING TURNED SHOES.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J oiiN HELM'ING, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati. in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Art of Manufacturing -Turned Shoes, of which the following specification is a full disclosure..

This invention relates to the'art of manufacturing turned shoes and deals with the utilization of a molded counter in the process of shoe manufacture. A

One of the objects within the contemplation of this invention relates to a sequence of manipulative steps orderly related to one another, in the manufacture of turned shoes, simplifying the process of manufacture, at a cost less'than prevailing methods, resulting in a well finished and ,more durableproduct and in a process which provides for the usof a molded counter; as an article of manufacture, previously pressed and formed into shape, which adapts the use of a cheaper and more tenacious material, more permanently retaining its shape as to'well deined outline, form and pattern, additionally reducing the cost and assisting in producing a well finished quality shoe.

Various other features of the invention will be more fullyy set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, illustrating some of the ste s followed in the process and method, and disclosing a preferred construction of counter, and in such drawings like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views of which z- Figure l is a perspective view of an upper and outer sole of a shoe, illustiating a step in the process Aof manufacture and after the A upper is stitched to the outer sole. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1, and slightly enlarged. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the shank portion of a finished shoe. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a molded counter.

A fiat counter, according to the prevailing practice, has always been used in the manufacture of'turned shoes, inserted usually between the outer and lining layers or ,laminae comprising the upper, withthe first lasting operation, and the counter as a part of the upper stitched to the outer sole at the shank portion. The counter is previously tempered to render it pliable for stitching and adapts its heel seat margin, which together Specification of Letters Patent.

yond the sole, to be flanged or turned over the heel and shank portion of the last after the upper has been turned and the shoe relasted, or following the shop expression fitted over a second last to form a proper heel seat for the sole. Such seatturning and finishing is a very tedious and expensive operation'due to the material bulk and puckerlng required in Hanging over the curved heel edge of the last. The operator is also required to work very cautiously because the outer surface of the upper is exposed and must not be injured along the line of bend over the last bottom. Many attempts have been made to devise machines forming heel seats, but without avail, because it is ditlicult, without delay and injury to the upper, to apply and maintain a shoe under suicient compression until the parts have reached a Patented Mar. 28, 1916. Application led October 15, 1915. Serial No. 55,926. i

permanent setting. Considerable ironing and finishing must be resorted to and even this is lost, for the upper is usually moist after it has reached its finished stage and is packed for shipment, andv in drying contracts, which-is detrimental to the'outer surface finish of the upper. To vsecure what is now termed a high 'grade iob requires a flat counter of the highest quality of stock, which isvery expensive.

Molded counte1u-t has long been recog' nized that a molded counter provides a means for producing the highest quality The counter can be made from durable duck material suitably treated for Waterproofing and sizing, and is more applicable tov the' uses and purposes required. No tempering of the counter is required toits use in the shoe manufacture. It snugly conforms yto the'shape of the last and its rigid characteristics qualify it as a last', so thatithe. up-

per can be easily turned and a perfect heel# `a. molded counter, it has been found expedient to omit-v seat formed.

Owing to the stiffness of the counter in the first lasting of the upper for stitching the upper to the outer sole, as it would interfere with the turning of the shoe for the second lasting.y Thus, the usual custom of stitching the counter with the upper material to the outer sole at the shank portion, is not followed, and a preferred form of counter is employed, provided with means serving as the equivalent for such counter shank stitching, which inherently possesses additional advantages.v

As illustrated in Fig. 4, 1 indicates a molded counter. of a suitable material, treated and formed into shape in `any-manner known in the art, productive of a counter as an article of manufacture, vand of itself, represents a finished product, as

- when used for welt shoes, and could be satisfactorily used in the process herein disclosed for turned shoes and within the aspect of the invention. And to secure additional advantages and results, the opposing ends of the counter are united by a strap 2. The ends of the strap are preferably secured by eyelets 3, to the forward base portion or opposing seat flanges of the counter,

and in the shoe it extends transverselyl across the shank, restraining any lateral or shifting `motion of the counter ends. The strap transfers any pulling strain on one side to the. other and resistingly against such opposite side of the foot ofthe wearer at the forward portion of the counter, assisting in maintaining the shape of the counter to the comfort of the wearer, and anchors the ends against upward motion between the outer and lining layers of the upper in a manner equally as eilicient as if thecounter were stitched or otherwise secured to the shank portion of the outersole.

. The strap, also, is of advantage in maintaining the shape of the counter when nesting for packing purposes.

As the counter per se is classifiable as separate from the invention herein, it is made ythe subject-matter of an application filed byme January 1916, Serial No. 70,522.

y Sequence of process or method steps.- The upper and lining material are cut to pattern and stitched together in any well adapted way, as practised in the art,.with the exception that the lining at the sole attaching margin is transversely slitted, as at 4 4, Fig. 1, a distance from the rear central heel line of the upper approximating the length of the counter wings. The slitting may be done either before, at the time of cutting 'the upper blanks, or after the finished upper has been pulled over the first last. In cutting the upper pattern, no counter allowance need be made, as is necessary when using a flat counter. The upper is then pulled over the first last inside out, sole piece i serted. against the base surface of the last'and the heel marginal porproviding a clearance for the insertion of the molded counter. Although it may be possible to-insert :the counter between the upper layers, if .all the layers are coincidently stitched, it would, however, interfere witha quick and free insertion of the counter, increase the labor expense, and add no advantages to a finished shoe.

After the upper has been stitched tothe sole, the shoe is removed from the first last,

'turned in the usual manner and then in condition to receive the molded counter.y The shoe is then grasped in one hand of the operator, with the sole toward the palm of the hand, and the lining at the heel is pulled upwardly and away from the inner surface of the outer layer 10, after which the counter-is inserted and properly positioned. The lining is then returned, lap.- ping over the inserted counter, and a shank p1ece 12 inserted `and cemented into the shoe. The shank piece overlapping the lining margin, is cemented thereto, principally at such unstitched shank portion to secure such free lining edges. This conditions the parts for second lasting, the shoe being second lasted with the inserted molded or finished counter.- After properly fitting and tack-k ing the upper upon the second last, the upper and lining heel margins are pulled or` stretched over the last and counter` seat flange and tacked in a manner well known, producing a. high quality finish, without Abeing required to resort to the use of any ironing machine or ironing methods; the upper material being `soft and flexible, readilyV conforms to the shape of the last or'molded counter. The molded counter in each in stance provides an individual form, the equivalent of a last, with its shape and fold lines well defined, to which the upper is made to conform. Thefold edge around the heel seat is, therefore, sharp and in a condition to properly receive the heel portion of the sole. The sole may then be secured in the usual manner 'and such other steps followed as are necessary to vcomplete the shoe, which need not be alluded to herein.

I claim 1. A process of making turned shoes comprising pulling an upper and lining over a last with the lining outermost, slitting the margin of the lining at each side of the shank at a distance from the rear end of thek upper approximating the length of thev counter wings, folding outwardly the margin of the lining rearwardly of said slits, stitching the margins of the upper and lining forwardly of said slits and the margin of the upper on each side of the shank some distance rearwardly of said slits to a sole, taking the last out of the shoe and turning the upper and lining, inserting a Apreviously molded counter between the upper and lining, inserting and securing a shank piece over the margins of the upper and lining, inserting a second last in the shoe, and securing the heel margin of the sole to the distance .fromthe rear end" of 'the upper 'approximatingfthe length of the counter wings,

stitching the margins of the upper and lining forwardly of said points andsthe marginof the upper oneach side Aof' the'shank some distance rearwardly ofesaid points to a sole, taking the last outpof the shoe and turning the upper and lining, inserting and securing a shank piece over the margins of the vupper and lining, inserting a second last in the shoe, and securing the heel margin Y,of the` sole to themargins of the counter and shank piece. Y

Inl Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing upper, dining,

witnesses.

JOHN HELMING,

Witnesses: EMMA SPENER, L. A. BECK.

Copies of this patent my be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o! Patenti,

' Washington, D. 

